Archive Page 2

We wil not make a call on what will happen on Thursday 23rd until tomorow ( Wednesday ) evening in the hope that there may be some improvement in conditions, though we cannot be optimistic at this stage.

We all share the sense of deflation and frustration at being closed at what is normally one of our happiest and busiest times in the school year.

Please feel free to leave a comment on the comment facility of this Blog, and thanks to those who already have.

Message to teachers/staff: If the school can open on Thursday do you think your class’s Winter Concert is at the stage of readiness/rehersal where you could proceed with it? An alternative would be to conduct the Winter Concerts on the Friday( Jan 14th, from 11.30 to 2.30)? Please text me your views on my work-mobile.

The snow that has fallen to date (Monday) coupled with the predictions in the six-one-news weather forecast for continued snow showers, freezing overnight temperatures, further snow early tomorrow and no thaw tomorrow means that the BOM consider it unwise to open from a Health and Safety perspective. We regret the inconvenience this causes and thank you for your continued support and patience.

I was taken aback recently by not one, but two, parents asking me what was our school policy on parents/children buying presents for teachers (or any school staff). I am delighted to state that though we have 74policy documents covering all aspects of school life not one of them is a Policy on this issue. Our Policy is that we do not have a policy.

The school will open Thursday 9th BUT there will be no cars permitted into the school campus ( only the pedestrian gates to the school will be open). Parents are asked to park their cars in the public spaces in the vicinity of the school and to accompany their children to the school as pedestrians. Staff are asked to park their cars in public spaces in the vicinity of the school. We regret the inconvenience this causes to all and warn that this situation may prevail for a number of days. Parents are reminded that the School Traffic Warden service is not to be relied upon at the moment as Fingal County Council have failed to replace our regular warden who is on sick-leave. Parents are asked not to drop off children at the school gates itself as this is not safe for all children and will cause traffic problems for the wider public. Once inside the school gates parents/children must use the desingated footpath which has been treated. Apologies again for this inconvenience, please feel free to leave a comment in the comment facility.

The school will open tomorrow Wednesday 8th. Parents are asked to refer to this Blog, however, in case there is a deterioration in the weather overnight that has not been predicted in this evening’s RTE 9.30pm weather forecast. School will operate normal hours ( 8.45am to 1.25pm/2.25pm), and breakfast, homework and all indoor after-school clubs will proceed as normal ( oudoor after-school clubs are cancelled). The school traffic warden, Ann, has told us that she will nt be present for the foreseeable future due to illness, and Fingal County Concil have not indicated as to whether they will be replacing her. The school recomends that parents preume that this service will not be available.
Glanmore foods have indicated that they expect to be able to deliver the children’s lunches.
Parents are reminded that it is their own prerogative and judgement call as to whether they feel it is safe to transport their children to and from the school. To facilitate parents with great concern in this regard the school’s Board of Management are suggesting that parents may, if they wish , avail of a later opening time of 10am which may have allowed for a further thaw on the roads and footpaths, and will have allowed the early morning traffic rush to have died down.
Teachers are asked, too, to make their own judgement call on their own safety in travelling to and from work according to their own local conditions , the availability of public transport etc.
I wish to thank all parents for their patience and understanding of the difficulties presented by these conditions. Please feel free to make a comment ot his Blg by using the attached comment facility.

It is not possible to call yet whether the will or will not open on Wednesday 8th.
There appears to be a thaw on all of the roads around Balbriggan/Swords/Drogheda/Skerries, but if this freezes tonight the roads and footpaths will be exceptionally dangerous for drivers and pedestrians alike.
I will wait to make a call until c10pm tonight when we should be able to know whether the thaw is continuing ( in which case we will open) or whether there will be a big-freeze ( in which case we will close).
Many thanks for your patience.
I would be very happy for people to have their say, so feel free to use the comment faclility attached to this posting.
The text-a-parent service to which we subscribe broke down last night, apologies for any inconvenience caused by this, so just in case this happens again please ensure to consult this Blog as the most up-to-date source of information, and if you know any member of our school community who does not have access to a computer please pass on the information.

The school is now closed for Tuesday 7th following a deterioration in conditions and forecast for further deterioration of the conditions in the Balbrigan area. We regret and any inconvenience this causes.

There appears to be a problem with our text-a-paret and text-a-teacher service so please let anybody who might not have computer facilities know, thanks.

Please consult this Blog tomorrow around 4pm for update for Wednesday 8th